Day 6 Santorini

A lemon tree outside of my hotel room...

We got home at 7am.  I have not been out that late in years.  We watched the sunrise while smacking on McDonalds.  It was a crazy night but I'm glad we all had a blast.  I was worried I was going to sleep the day away, but luckily I got up at 12pm.  I hate feeling like I'm missing out, especially since I'm on vacation.  I threw on my bikini and swim coverup and headed to Noma.  I definitely needed some coffee.  Kostas was not there, but some of the staff said he was at the restaurant at 10am.  Unbelievable!!  I felt so out of it.  I sat for a while and messaged my friend in Italy to tell her my new plans.  Originally I was suppose to take another ferry out to Mykonos later on the day.  I had planned on staying for one night on Santorini.  When I was doing my research, for my trip I read blogs about Santorini being more laid back than Mykonos.  After what I experienced last night, I've learned my idea of "laid back" was much more different than theirs!  lol.  First of all, Santorini IS a relaxing island with beach restaurants and boutiques all over.  Fira is the main center of Santorini, and officially their "downtown" so I could understand it being more congested than other parts of the island.  I was very much surprised by the nightlife I encountered, so I knew if Mykonos was the main attraction of Greece, I would much rather go there with a group of friends like the ones I hung out the night before.  The problem was, obviously, my new found friends are working all day at the restaurant, and I would be alone in Mykonos not knowing anyone.  I told my friend I would stay one more day in Santorini and head out tomorrow to Bari Italy, where she would be waiting for me.  I knew Santorini had an airport and Bari was one hour away from me.  I would get my ticket tomorrow, but for now, let me explore Santorini one more day.
After my coffee, (and lots of water), a staff member at Noma walked me over to an available umbrella waiting for me at the beach.  This is the life!  I ran into the couple from Athens at their umbrella spot and we caught up on the wild evening we had shared.  I like them a lot.  They were much more mellow than the others from the group, which was good because they balanced things out.  If there were too many crazies I can't imagine what trouble we would have gotten into!  lol



Dark sand between my toes.  This is the life!

I relaxed on the beach and then joined the couple in the sea to cool off from the hot sun.  I asked them a bunch of questions about Athens, and other vacation spots like Croatia.  Since they're locals, it was interesting to hear their input on the other destinations nearby.  One thing that I've noticed about vacationing in Europe, people love to spend HOURS on the beach.  Now that I am an older woman, I try not to stay out in the sun too long.  I made my way to Ntomatini restaurant to have some lunch.  Since we ate terribly early in the morning, I skipped out on breakfast, but the sun made me hungry.  Ntomatini specializes in traditional seafood so I opted for the grilled calamari.  I enjoyed my lunch and talked to the father and daughter while I was there.  I grew tired again and figured I'll squeeze in a nap in before I ventured out on the island.  I usually set my alarm for an hour so I don't end up sleeping too long.  It makes me more groggy whenever I over sleep.



Healthy lunch with a side of fries...

After my nap I got ready to hit the town.  My main objective was to head to the other side of the island to Oia for the infamous sunset.  I was determined to get over there.  Upon reading on my trip to Santorini I found out there was a bus that would take you to Oia.  I went to Noma to have more coffee and saw the daughter from Ntomatini hanging out with the crew.  Kostas was still no where to be found.  I asked her where to catch the bus and she told me to walk down the beach and I should see the bus stop.
Well here is where the adventure begins!!  What I have learned from my travels is that sometimes things that seem easy, well, aren't.  I walked and walked, probably close to 15 minutes to an area that was closed off on the beach.  I put two and two together since I remembered from my shuttle bus coming in that the road is blocked off from traffic.  I looked around and saw some people standing around.  Santorini has posts and signs only in Greek, so a lot of times you have to figure it out yourself.  I saw a bus on a sign and knew I was suppose to be there, but wasn't sure.  The tourists standing around weren't very inviting but I managed to ask someone if this was the bus stop.  He mumbled yes so I waited with the rest of them.  Luckily I had some euro coins, but I wasn't sure how much this was going to cost me exactly.  One thing to remember in Europe is to have some loose change handy since they do not use credit cards like we do in the States.
A small group grew upon waiting and then I saw a charter bus on the horizon.  He was heading our way.  Whew!
A big, very intimidating bus clerk stepped out and yelled that this bus was going to Fira and to Fira only.  "If you want to go to Oia (pronounced Eee-yah by the way), you need to transfer at Fira!!"  He was so scary!  You did not want to mess with this guy!
Off we went.  I sat by the window and looked out while the bus driver took off.  Again we were going through narrow roads which made me nervous.  More stops were coming up and more people climbed in.  A good looking couple came on.  The guy sat next to me and his girlfriend sat behind him.  I heard them speak English very softy to one another with an accent so I felt relieved.  If anything they were my safety zone!
The bus continued along and gathered more people.  I didn't understand where we were going.  There were times we were driving past open land.  I saw garbage, abandoned buildings.  I started to get very anxious.  Fira didn't seem that far to me the night before!  Me and my new friends were at Fira.  How come I don't remember us driving out that long?  The bus clerk bully came by and collected the fare and gave out his receipts.  My nerves couldn't take it anymore.  I turned to the good looking boyfriend and asked him if this bus was going to Fira.  He barely glanced at me and said, "Yes".  I couldn't help myself.  I was getting more frightened by the moment.  I whispered to him, "Why is it taking so long?"  He slightly shrugged his shoulders but never made eye contact with me.  I could see his crystal blue eyes gaze away towards the front of the bus.  He was so cold to be unbelievably beautiful.  I was hurt by our interaction, mostly because in my mind this couple was suppose to be my safety zone.  I felt so alone.
Next thing you know, the bus swerved into a lot and then the madness began.  People got up and started walking out.  Ok, we're at Fira, but how come I don't remember it being so unattractive? 
There was an agent at a booth at the bus station.  People were coming up to her asking questions about schedules.  I went up and asked her which bus was the one to Oia and she pointed it out for me.  I looked over and saw a small group of people waiting nearby.  Because of my anxiety I needed to use the bathroom.  I saw a restroom sign at the lot.  There was a lady outside collecting money.  I noticed in Rome that public restrooms have a fee to use, so I knew this was a common thing in Europe.  I paid my fee and entered a room where the sink was.  There was a stall but once I got inside I didn't see a toilet, but more of a hole in the ground, resembling a shower setup but without the filter.  I was confused.  I walked out and asked if this was the bathroom and the lady replied, "Yeah, they're all like that."  Yikes! 
Afterwards I made my way to the small group waiting for the Oia bus and soon we started to board.  Off he went and another bus clerk collected our money.  We drove for another 15 minutes.  I looked out the window for reassurance that we were heading to the right direction.  The tourists here do not speak to one another.  I found it to be such a sad situation considering we're all on vacation.
At one point the view in Oia overwhelmed us.  The sun was beginning to set as we were driving up the road.  Unfortunately, it was hard to take a good picture with the bus moving.  I felt a sign of relief knowing we were almost there. 
I looked around and noticed again we were driving to deserted areas.  I was in disbelief it would take us this long to get there.  I had been in route in total for almost an hour!  It was past 7:45pm when the driver pulled into a lot.  There were a ton of people waiting to board.  Again the scene looked a bit chaotic.  I followed people off the bus and didn't know where to go.  People were heading to different directions.  Since now it was dark I grew concerned about how I was going to head back home.  I didn't want to ride that bus at nighttime.  I followed two young men walking away from the lot.  I had a hunch they knew where they were going since they seemed determined.  They are probably going to a happening area.  Sure enough, they led me to the infamous Oia skyline!  It was so beautiful even at night!  Everyone was taking pictures all around them.  I think I found the one end of the "strip" so I followed that pathway.  It led to endless shops and boutiques, from high end retail to souvenir shops.  There were art galleries and restaurants.  Because we were at a high altitude, the wind was gusty again.  I took cover by going in and out of shops.  There were so many beautiful handcrafted things that I couldn't stop admiring.  My stomach was beginning to bother me from the anxiety.  I couldn't help but rub it from time to time.  I walked into a jewelry shop and was browsing around when the salesman behind the cash register spoke to me.  "Did you eat something that gave you an upset stomach?" he asked.  "No.  It's just nerves," I replied.  "Why don't you go and have a glass of wine?" he suggested.  I smiled.  He seemed friendly enough.  I went up to him and asked him what time was the last bus out of Oia.  He asked one of his associates and she told me around 10pm.  I frowned.  I explained that I had just gotten there and was worried about how to get back to Perissa Beach.  "Do you have cabs here?  I haven't seen any around at all since I've been here."  "Of course we have cabs.  If you need a cab, we will call one for you," he explained.  What a sign of relief!  "That makes me feel a lot better!"  I told him.  He reassured me whenever I'm ready to leave, I can walk into an establishment and ask them to order me a cab and it shouldn't take no more than 15 minutes until it arrives.  "We don't have many cabs in Santorini but it shouldn't take long to get to you." 
I wish my anxiety magically disappeared from that moment, but of course it did not.  But I did feel a lot better that I could wander through Oia and enjoy my time there much longer.  I didn't want to miss out on anything.  I purchased some more souvenirs and was slowly beginning to feel like myself again.  I walked into a boutique and was greeted by a handsome salesman.  His smile made me feel it was safe enough for me to walk up to him and ask him where I should go for a drink around Oia.  He suggested Mary Kay's Bar which was right across the boutique from him.  I joked that I wanted a more lively place but he told me it would get busier later in the evening.  I looked over but there wasn't so many people inside.  I told myself I would check it out.  I continued to browse other shops until I found another friendly salesman smile back to me.  This boutique had beautiful Greek rugs which ran around 300 euros, as well as colorful handmade jewelry.  The friendly salesman and I striked up a conversation.  He lives in Athens but works in Santorini during the tourist season.  He explained it usually runs from March until October.  I asked what he did after the season is over and he told me he would have some time off and be in Athens.  I was curious to know what happened to the merchandise in the shops once everyone is off.  Did they lock up everything and leave the island?  Or do they ship everything off the island?  He said they pack up all the merchandise and it goes back to Athens where it will sit until the tourist season begins.  During the off-season months the boats coming to and from the islands will not be available to travelers.  They will be used to transport the merchandise and no one will be able to book any ferry rides.  I found this new information fascinating!  Who knew!
My new salesman friend gave me a little token of potpourri to take back to Chicago.  He said it's meant for good luck.  I found him to be one of the warmest people I've met in Santorini.  I will never forget his generosity.

Oia

Again with the sex cards...

Beautiful church!

Tourists shopping away!

Galleries galore

Donkey love

A flower shop

At this time it was 11pm and I felt it was a good time to head over to Mary Kay's bar.  The handsome gentleman from before was right.  Now the place was getting packed and the dj was playing Motown music to get the crowd going.  I found a seat by the dj and ordered a glass of white wine.  As usual, the waiter brought over my glass along with a side serving of nuts.  This to me is a lifesaver when traveling in Italy and  in Greece because it helps you curb your appetite.  The crowd was letting loose and people finally started dancing around.  I love being around this type of energy so I enjoyed watching everyone have fun.  I knew my new friends back at the restaurant were working until 1am so I figured I could hangout here until then.  I was having such a good time I decided to have another glass of wine.  People watching could be very entertaining.  There were a group of British tourists who were tearing up the dance floor.

Mary Kay's Bar

Gotta love the cigarette ads!

It was now nearing 12:30am.  I figured it was time for me to make my way over to Perissa Beach.  Now to find a cab (or a shop what will have someone call me one).  I walked back to my original path of where I began on the strip.  By now a lot of businesses were closed.  People were strolling around but I did not hear any English speakers.  I was getting nervous again.  I saw a restaurant that was closing up and I peaked inside to see if anyone would be able to help me.  Two staff members were in the kitchen and they looked preoccupied.  I walked back up to the beginning of the strip when I noticed a cab drove up.  I ran up and waved my arms like crazy before he continued to zoom away but he put on the brakes.  I was so relieved!  I ran up to him and then noticed a couple sitting in the back seat.  "Oh I'm sorry!  I didn't know you had someone.  Do you know where I can grab a cab?"  I see the pair of eyes staring back at me from the couple.  "Where are you going?" the driver asked.  "Perissa Beach?"  It took him a moment before he replied to get in.
I sat in front and said hi to the couple at the back.  The woman point blank asked me in English, "Why are you alone?"  Her tone made me worried because I did not want to give away that I was indeed alone, at least not to this cab driver.  I told them that I was waiting for my friends to get off from work and decided to kill some time in Oia.  She had an accent but her male friend was definitely American.  At one point she kept talking to the cab driver on where to go and told him she works "here" and not to try anything (which made me worried).  "Where do you work?" the cab driver asked suspiciously.  She replied that she worked at the hotel from where he picked her up from.  "What do you do?" he continued.  I could tell he was trying to figure her out.  "I work the concierge but I know Santorini; I know Greek!" she proclaimed.  He said something to her in Greek to test her and she quickly added, "Yes I understand.  I know what you said.  I understand Greek."  The driver still wasn't satisfied.  I grew very nervous because I did not know what I walked in on.  He asked her "What are you?  Where are you from??" and she answered that she was Italian (although she never revealed from what city).  The driver stayed silent and the couple continued their conversation.  It seemed to me that they had just met and that the male had been drinking.  She was fine and very firm with her answers.  They were going to Tango and that's when I told them that I had been there the night before.  Although I wanted to invite myself to their party, the woman never really paid much attention to me and they seemed more preoccupied with each other.  Once they got to Fira they quickly jumped out and the male companion paid the driver 20 euros and off they went.  I was worried about how much cash I had on me but prayed that it was enough for my ride.  He continued to drive until he stopped at a mart and asked me if it was ok for him to get some cigarettes.  I told him that's fine and he went inside.  I was SUPER nervous now that I was alone with him so I took pictures of whatever I could find at the front of the cab.  Everything was in Greek so I didn't know what I was looking at.  He came back into the car and off we went.  I decided to strike up a conversation with the driver so I wouldn't anxious.  I felt I was putting myself in a very vulnerable position being out this late by myself.  The cab driver looked pretty scruffy too, but he continue along.  I told him I was having a hard time looking for cabs and he said there are only 39 cabs in all of Santorini.  No wonder I didn't see them very often!  That explains a lot.  I already knew that the roads looked pretty deserted but now that it was nighttime it looked more scary to me.  There wasn't much lighting out on the road.  I held my guard and continued saying random things to the driver.  We finally reached the blocked off area at the beach where the shuttle bus had dropped me off the night before.  I was so happy to get out of that situation!  I ended up giving the driver 38 euros and explained to him that was all I had.  He took it and said fine, although I'm aware he was going to pocket the money regardless.  I ran down the strip and everything was pretty much closed.  It was 1:15am.  So much for that.  I went back to my hotel room.

Good bye Oia!  It was all worth it to see this at night!